" ... For at least the last thirty years the alternative energy industry has been claiming they are almost ready to be economically competitive with fossil fuel. Wind, solar, geothermal, and others keep begging for government subsidies to help them stay afloat until they can reach a size at which economies of scale kicks in, price per kilowatt hour drops, and then they can survive on their own. Now we are seeing this has been a blatant grab for taxpayer dollars and the subsidies were more about industry executives and shareholders getting rich than about reaching a green industry future. ...

How big an assist has solar been getting in competing economically? Quite a large assist. Solar installations, both residential and commercial, receive a 30 percent investment tax credit, meaning solar makes economic sense even when they are 29 percent more expensive than alternatives. A 30 percent subsidy can make a Mercedes cheaper than a Hyundai. ...

The time has come to use the industry's own admissions against it in the court of public opinion. The industry is lobbying for an extension of its investment tax credit so it can continue to profit at the taxpayer's expense. Taxpayers ought to lobby their elected representatives to allow the solar tax credit to expire. Tell Congress enough is enough. It is time for solar to face the marketplace on its own. ... "